Here
by varietyofwords
Summary: <html><head></head>"You're back in States and here, you have to shut your pie hole!" Jackie/Hyde. The way the finale of season 7 should have gone.</html>


**Title:** Here

**Couple:** Jackie/Hyde

**Fandom:** _That '70s Show_

**Words:** 1,415

**Rating:** PG-13

**Author's Note:** Starts right after Hyde's arrival in Chicago and ignores the arrival of the One Who Ruins Everything (also known as Kelso). Some of what Jackie says is lifted from "Do You Think It's Alright?" (Season 6, Episode 18). Timeline might be a little screwy so feel free to correct me, if I am wrong. And maybe a little out of character? Oh well. Enjoy!

Her arms are crossed over her chest creating a shelf for the breasts he loves so much. She's pouting; that much is obvious. He won't tell her where he is taking her and she's long given up on informing him that's doing right now is kidnapping.

Sometimes he glances at her through the dark lens of his sunglasses, but for the most part he stares at the road. It's pitch black outside and he should probably remove his sunglasses. They certainly are helping with his ability to see the lines in the road.

She sighs. She wants him to bit, wants his attention, but he won't nibble, won't give it to her. He can tell she is getting more and more agitated with each passing minute. Eventually, she cracks turning in her seat so she can face him.

"Steven, when I asked you if you wanted to go get something to eat or go for a walk, I didn't mean you could kidnap me! If this is your idea of saying you wanted me to stay, you're not going about it the right way! Point Place is in the _other_ direction!"

He keeps his cool, keeps his Zen in place. His face betrays no sign of the panic and worry he feels inside. He's just hoping this works. He's dangerously low on gas but he's afraid to stop because he knows that as soon as he pulls into the nearest gas station, she hop out and start screaming about kidnapping. There's a reason Red Forman calls her "The Loud One" and Leo calls her "Loud Girl". Her shrill voice certainly would attract attention. Although, at three o'clock in the morning, he's not sure how many people would be at the gas station.

He's willing to risk it, though, because he's almost there. He thinks. There isn't a white line in the sand and he's not exactly going about this through official channels. He pulls off to the side of the dead end road and turns off the engine.

"Steven! Where are we?"

"Just get out of the car, Jackie."

"No! Not until you tell me where we're going!"

"Whatever," he says as he slides out of the car. He slams the door and starts walking into the forest. He doesn't have to wait long before she follows him slamming the passenger door with more force than he ever thought possible from someone so small.

"Steven! Steven, come back here!"

He keeps walking; the bulge in his pocket rubbing against his leg.

"Steven J. Hyde!" He can't see her but he knows her, knows she's stomping her foot like some kind of four year old who hasn't gotten her way. He smirks but keeps walking until he figures he has gone far enough.

He's making a guess here. It's not like the trees are any different or the grass is any greener on the other side. She's hot on his tail so when he stops and turns around she runs into him.

"Umph," she declares. He reaches out to steady her but she yanks herself away. "Steven, what are we doing out here? You know I don't like the woods."

He doesn't say anything for a while. He runs his hand across the back of his neck under her intense gaze.

"Jacks," he starts. Pause. He pulls off his sunglasses and hangs them from his t-shirt. His blue eyes seek out her mismatched eyes. Her arms are crossed over her chest again and her eyebrows are raised at she looks at him expectantly. He should say something but he doesn't quite know how. His throat is dry and it's even harder for him to form the words necessary.

The seconds feel like minutes, like hours.

"Say something!" She snaps uncrossing her hands and throwing them up into the air. "Say anything!"

"Here," he says dropping something into her hand.

Hope wells up in her chest. She's convinced she's going to find some earrings or, knowing Steven, a piece of "film"; she tries to keep her hope squelched as she gingerly opens the lid of the velvet box. It's too dark outside for it to sparkle like she always imagined but there it is – a diamond ring nestled amongst two folds of black velvet.

"Steven," she whispers in shock. "Are you…"

"I'm not getting down on one knee," he snaps. Tears well up in her eyes and he immediately regrets the harshness in his voice. "But we are in Canada and..."

"Canada?" she asks with a hint of confusion in her voice. He watches the realization and excitement spread across her face as her promise all those months ago comes rushing back to her. "Oh my god! Steven! You drove me to Canada so I could talk about weddings!"

"Uh..."

"Oh my god! You do listen to me! And you love me! And you want to marry me!"

"Let's get something straight," he starts to lecture but she's not listening. Not one damn bit.

"I want a spring wedding with white doves. And I want to sun to be setting behind me so that I have a halo and look like an angel. And then wild mustangs can take us to our honeymoon in Hawaii. Oh, but…"

"Jackie," he interrupts. "I'm not saying we'll get down the aisle tomorrow, but in a year or two or – you know – ten, we could get hitched."

"Ten years? Oh, no, Steven. I'm thinking six months because that's plenty of time for me to put the finishing planning…Oh, what am I saying! I already have the whole thing planned! But our engagement can't be too short because I don't want people to think I only got you down the aisle because I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" His throat tightens unbearably and he barely squeaked out the words. She rolls her eyes at his concern and shakes her head no.

"Please, I would never walk down the aisle fat. Might as well just get married by the justice of the peace! It's going to be hard enough finding shoes for Donna's freakishly large feet."

"Jackie," he tries to interject but she's in Canada and unstoppable.

"If that lumberjack thinks I'm going to allow her to wear plaid, she's got another thing coming! Ooh, I'm thinking pink and white roses and…"

"Jackie," he interrupts. She stops blabbering and glares at him for interrupting. "Just stop tal—"

"Steven, we're in Canada," she reminds me. "You can't tell me to stop talking about weddings!"

He frowns and sighs. This is exactly why he doesn't do romantic shit like this.

"You're not changing your mind, are you? There are no take backs in marriage proposals, Steven," she informs him. "And don't you dare think about pulling a stunt like Eric! I'll track you down and kick you!"

He doesn't doubt it, and he winces at the reminder of the damage her tiny feet can inflict on his shins.

"Just put the damn thing on," he tells her. In all her excitement, she forgot about putting the diamond ring on her finger and her smiles grows exponentially as she slips it onto her left ring finger.

"Oh, Steven," she moans. Her eyes glint with happiness as she glances from the ring on her finger to his face. Before he knows it, she's launched herself into his arms and their lips collide into a frenzied kiss. They break apart right about the time his lungs start screaming for oxygen and without even taking a breath she launches into wedding talk all over again.

"Oh, and the guest list! Of course, it goes without saying that Bud and Edna aren't invited, and my dad probably won't be there since he's in pris – I mean, busy freeing the natives in the wild jungles of Nativeland. Who's going to be your best man?"

"I don…"

"Don't you dare say 'I don't know'!" She fires back at him so he shrugs his shoulders and starts walking away.

"Steven, this is a very important decision," she calls after him. With a huff, she follows him back to the car. "You can't just pick anybody!"

She continues babbling on and on about groomsmen and flower arrangements and bridesmaids' dresses. He's leaning against the hood of the El Camino and she stops to stand right in front of him.

"Jacks," he interrupts. "Shut your piehole!"

"But this is Canada," she reminds him.

"Nope. You're back in States and here, you have to shut your piehole!"


End file.
